Henderson sets pace at Royal Dornoch

Two decades after winning the event at Cruden Bay, Scott Henderson set the pace in the Northern Open as only four players broke par on a breezy day at Royal Dornoch.

Henderson, a former European Tour Rookie of the Year, carded a splendid five-under-par 65 at the Sutherland venue to lead by two shots from Greig Hutcheon, the 2010 winner.

Defending champion Chris Kelly and Greig McBain, both with 69s, were the only others to sign for sub-par scores on a day when the majority of the field toiled in the wind.

Henderson, who is attached to Kings Links Golf Centre in Aberdeen, made his score by picking up four birdies in the first six holes, though adding three more on the tougher inward half was just as impressive.

"I got a bit of a break as the wind died a bit when we were playing the 11th and 12th before it was back to full throttle at the 18th, where it was two woods," said the 46-year-old.

"Having thought 71 was a hell of an effort when I looked at the scores before teeing off, I would have bitten your hand off for a 65. But, at the same time, it is hard for me to get excited about that score as I'm not chuffed how I'm hitting it at the moment. 

"If you are not hitting it at your best, though, this is probably a good course to be playing as it is not just about smashing driver all the time. It's a course you have to respect."

Hutcheon, who finished as the leading PGA pro in last month's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, enjoyed a profitable day on the greens, needing just 27 putts, including an "absolute monster" at the 11th for one of his five birdies.

"I've been struggling for a long time with a troublesome pain that I've now discovered is a pinched nerve in my left shoulder/neck," said the 43-year-old, who is attached to Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Inchmarlo.

"The good thing about finding the diagnosis is that I know what exercises and stretching I need to do to help it and, apart from the first couple of shots on the range, I felt fine out there today."

Like Henderson, Kelly was reluctant to read too much into his promising start, even though it was a "pretty steady" effort and praiseworthy considering he only arrived at Dornoch around 11pm on Monday night after driving up from Gosforth, where he missed out in one of the regional qualifiers for The Open.

"I don't hold out much hope of hanging on to my title as I have not been playing well," said the 38-year-old Fife-based player. "I just want to get back to enjoying playing some solid golf again."

Aberdonian McBain, a two-time winner of the Paul Lawrie Invitational, recently took up the post as PGA pro at Newmachar but is returning to a home from home this week.

"I did my PGA training here from 2007-11 and met my wife, Kirsten, during that time," said the 32-year-old. "Her family are from here so I'm getting free lodgings and fed like a king this week."

Reflecting on a card that contained four birdies, there of which came on the front nine, he added: "As always, the course is very good but the rough is brutal. I hit a few loose tee shots on the way in but, apart from that, it was pretty steady."

David Pearson, one of six host club members in the field, leads the battle for the Bookless Cup, sitting joint-fifth after a splendid level-par 70.